Snow and Ice GOAT - Yokohamas come through!

[jagular]

Okay, today is the first snow day of the season and it's a mess. A lot of ice and a few inches of snow. The Yokohamas, coupled with the GTO's traction control system, kick @$$! Of course, I have to launch in 2nd gear, and I can't try to kick the butt out, but these tires are awesome. They are well worth the price and are as capable as the Blizzaks.

[Adam4356]

Which Yokos you running ?

[jagular]

Which Yokos you running ?

I can't find the tire description at tires.com, even though that's where I bought them. They're called Ice Guard. Here's a link from Yokohama's website: http://www.yokohamatire.com/TireIntro.asp?TireID=5 0.

[Adam4356]

Very nice. I'll be looking to do winter tires i figure next year. It's a toss up between getting another car for winter or put the goat through it. If she goes through it winter tires are a must IMO. I've done without (ie 96 A4 TA) and it wasn't really all that safe.

[Doric]

I did just fine this morning on the stock tires. I'm thinking about getting a pair of rims and studded snows for the winter, but I'd rather just park the Goat in the garage for the winter and drive the Toy or the Talon.

[jagular]

Actually, the Yoko's and the stock rims are going to be my winter tires and I'm going to purchase 18s and the Monaro CV8 rims this spring. I thought about buying Suzuki Sidekick for the winter and parking the GTO but then I figured I could use the money that I'd spend on the Sidekick for mods this winter.

[GTOGOAT]

So did you just put the tires on the rear or all around? Do you just leave them on for the winter and then put the others on once it warms up? How are they on dry pavement?

[jagular]

So did you just put the tires on the rear or all around? Do you just leave them on for the winter and then put the others on once it warms up? How are they on dry pavement?

All the way around and, yes, all winter. When I first started driving on them, it definitely took awhile to get used to them. The tires come siped and hard cornering on dry pavement is out of the question, if for no other reason than you lose a crapload of tread. I want to keep these for at least three seasons, so I'm trying to minimize the burnouts/hard driving.

Either way, I'm pleasantly surprised at how well the GTO handles itself in the snow.

[lionsden]

Okay, today is the first snow day of the season and it's a mess. A lot of ice and a few inches of snow. The Yokohamas, coupled with the GTO's traction control system, kick @$$! Of course, I have to launch in 2nd gear, and I can't try to kick the butt out, but these tires are awesome. They are well worth the price and are as capable as the Blizzaks.

What kind of winter yoko's were they? And what size?

Thanks

[jagular]

I included the link for tire information in a post above. I stayed with the stock 245/45/17 size.

[Trapper]

I just checked the TireRack.com site and they have a "recommended package" for the GTO which uses Blizzak tires. I have experience with both the Blizzak, and Dunlop Winter Sport M2. Unless you live where winter means almost constant snow cover, I would not recommend the Blizzak's for a performance car like the GTO.

The Blizzaks have a very aggressive tread and a square shoulder. Once the road clears, these tires will be downright scary on dry roads unless you take it very easy. They almost give the sensation of the corner of the tread suddenly folding under. They also spin quite easily on dry pavement when pulling away.

The Dunlops are probably not quite as good in deep snow, but just as good in moderate snow and slush. However, if the road clears, they are great compared to the Blizzaks. The Dunlops have decent cornering with a very progressive loss of traction as speed increases. They are also very good at accelerating and braking in snow or dry.

I have used the Dunlops for two winters on a Grand Prix GTP and they have shown very little wear. Given how hard I drive, I will definitely use them on the GTO I hope to be driving this time next year. I will not be buying Blizzaks unless I move to Minnesota or someplace where the snow sticks around most of the winter.

[Bob by Chicago]

Blizzak WS50 really show their stuff on ice. Even more so than snow. Have had them on several cars in Northern Illinois and Upstate New York. That said still waiting to find a cheap set of rims before I mount them for the GTO. I will wait until the last minute to put them on either way. After Thanksgiving is a good rule of thumb in Northern Illinois. (Though recent years would let that stretch to mid/ late december) Then off early April. Certainly not racers on any car though. Definately all 4 corners. It is harder to steer and stop a heavy RWD car than to get moving. I do have to be honest though and state two things, 1) I am biased toward Bridgestone 2) I have not driven the YOKOS. Have driven plenty of other snow tires though.

[jagular]

I just checked the TireRack.com site and they have a "recommended package" for the GTO which uses Blizzak tires. I have experience with both the Blizzak, and Dunlop Winter Sport M2. Unless you live where winter means almost constant snow cover, I would not recommend the Blizzak's for a performance car like the GTO.

The Blizzaks have a very aggressive tread and a square shoulder. Once the road clears, these tires will be downright scary on dry roads unless you take it very easy. They almost give the sensation of the corner of the tread suddenly folding under. They also spin quite easily on dry pavement when pulling away.

The Dunlops are probably not quite as good in deep snow, but just as good in moderate snow and slush. However, if the road clears, they are great compared to the Blizzaks. The Dunlops have decent cornering with a very progressive loss of traction as speed increases. They are also very good at accelerating and braking in snow or dry.

I have used the Dunlops for two winters on a Grand Prix GTP and they have shown very little wear. Given how hard I drive, I will definitely use them on the GTO I hope to be driving this time next year. I will not be buying Blizzaks unless I move to Minnesota or someplace where the snow sticks around most of the winter.

Yeah, I'm thinking that the Yokos are almost overkill for Colorado. Initially, I noticed the same roll you described because, as you remarked about the Blizzaks, the Yokos' shoulders are very square and led to some interesting feedback during hard cornering. As I've become accustomed to them, I've noticed that the cornering has become more tolerable (or I've become accustomed to them). I still won't tear around corners, but I can corner relatively aggressively without concern.

[jbls1gto]

Has anybody else had a decent experience with stock tires in the snow? I'm planning on making it through the Detroit winters in my GTO and have been contemplating snow tires. It sounds like the Blizzaks and Yokos would be too aggressive for driving around metro Detroit...maybe the Dunlops would do well for the mild to moderate winters we get here. There's really only been a handfull of bad snowstorms in the last few years in this area. But, now that I go and say that we'll get a ton of snow!